In a thrilling match, Omonia drew 2-2 with Olympiacos at GSP Stadium, in the game that brought the 6th round of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan to a close.
After the match, Henning Berg, despite the negative result, highlighted the mindset his players displayed and their refusal to give up, which ultimately allowed them to salvage a point in the closing minutes.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
On the other hand, Giorgos Kostis highlighted the resilience and character his team displayed, which will serve as a foundation for the future, while also thanking the club’s management.
Here are the statements in detail:
Henning Berg (Omonia): “It was a difficult game, just as we expected against Olympiacos. They had one loss and four draws leading up to this match. And we’ve entered this hectic period where we have more games. We weren’t at our best in the first half. We still had chances to score in the first half—more than one. In the second half, we were better; we had plenty of chances to score. I don’t think Olympiacos had very many in the second half. And we kept pressing until the end and managed to tie the game at the very end, in the final seconds of the match. And we’re certainly pleased with our players’ attitude and mindset—they push for everything and never give up. And they’ve shown that, even though some of them are tired, even though some of them are dealing with certain issues, they keep pushing. Against a team that’s hard to break down and that usually doesn’t lose games. Well, we had chances to score more than we did today. We could have scored… We scored two, but it could have been three, four, or five goals in total. So, one point is better than nothing. And at this stage of the season, we’re taking it one game at a time, knowing that we have a lot of games ahead of us and we need to bounce back and look ahead. Because we only have a short break, we already have games on Thursday, Monday, and Saturday. These are the advantages of playing in Europe—when you qualify for European competitions, you play a lot of games, and sometimes that’s a bit more physically demanding. But that’s just how it is, and we’re happy to be in these competitions, and we’re happy to fight for everything, just as we did last year and will continue to do.”
Was there any other aspect you’d like to see more of in today’s game? And what is it? And if any substitutions were made out of necessity, was there an injury or a broader tactical consideration? “Well, there was, in fact, the case with Kouibali—he felt something. So, we need to check what it is, but we didn’t want to take any more risks, and he had to come off. I think Satka did well as a center back, too. And I also thought Nego did well when he came on with that assist—and with his crosses and passes. So, as for Koulibaly, we definitely need to check on him. It’s part of this season, so it’s normal to have a few injuries, but we’d like to have as few as possible. I think, in terms of aspects of the game… I thought we started off really well; I thought we had Dionis up front with a great chance just a minute into the game. We had Tanase with a great chance in the middle or closer to halftime. And Evandro was in a position to finish, to score a goal for us and… And certainly we… We weren’t that good at defending against the two goals they scored—it has to be said—it was pretty easy with the long passes, the one-on-one situations, and then they got the ball and took the shot. In the second half, we were better defensively and had more control of the game.”
Between the end of the first quarter and halftime, Omonia faced several scoring opportunities. This might even be the first time they’ve faced so many. Was it due to Olympiacos’ pressure, due to the mistakes made, or a concentration issue that led to this, and is it something that concerns him for the rest of the season? “I think it’s a combination of several games and the way we played on Thursday—on a different field, with a bit more fatigue in our legs, traveling back and preparing for this game, and a fresh Olympiacos team. That’s one factor—we weren’t physically at our best in this game. That’s number two. We weren’t in sync and didn’t read the situations as well as we’re capable of, and Olympiacos is a team that presses effectively; if you play through that pressure, there will be great opportunities for us, but if you don’t play through it, they’ll win the ball. So, we had a lot of great chances in the game, but we also lost the ball in dangerous areas. So, it was a more open—much more open—game than we would normally want in the first half. In the second half, we had more control and were better with the ball; we continued to create great, big scoring chances, but we didn’t play as well as we could have in the first half.”
Giorgos Kostis (Olympiacos): “My players are forcing me to start with this: The atmosphere of disappointment in the locker room now that I’ve walked in is a sign of how they’re feeling. Negative, of course, but this shows us how the team performed and how much it’s growing every day. That’s why I want to say that I’m extremely proud of my players, and there are five reasons why we’re in sixth place. The five reasons are the four draws—given how they came about—and the one loss we suffered last week, and the team’s reaction today, which demonstrates the character of the Olympiacos Nicosia squad. I want to thank the fans—who’ve been eager to do so for a long time—for their presence and support today. And finally, I want to thank the Olympiacos management, led by President Petros Savvas, who has ensured—and continues to ensure—a healthy environment all this time, so that we could see this response from the team today.”.
Given how the game unfolded, are you satisfied with the point, and are you generally satisfied with the team’s points tally, since, as you yourself said, Olympiacos has essentially had five draws and one loss? “I think this question is now secondary to the team’s performance today, for the reasons I mentioned earlier, given how the season has gone so far. I want to focus on the team’s response following these results, against the best team in the league, and for us, that’s the foundation we’ll build on as we head into the next two finals.”
